Over the weekend of 8th and 9th February 2025, Andover Bowling Club achieved a remarkable victory by securing the John Ash Trophy at the Five Rivers Indoor Bowling Centre in Salisbury.
This prestigious competition, designed for outdoor clubs, featured nine participating teams. The format required two mixed rinks per match, with teams earning two points for each winning rink. The top four teams from Saturday’s matches advanced to the semi-finals on Sunday.
Saturday’s Performance:
Andover Bowling Club played four matches on Saturday, each consisting of six ends:
- Match 1: Against Castledown – Andover secured victories on both rinks.
- Match 2: Against Alderbury 1 – Another double rink win for Andover.
- Match 3: Against Fordingbridge 2 – One rink win for Andover.
- Match 4: Against Salisbury – One rink win for Andover.
From a possible 16 points, Andover amassed 12, with a shot score of 82-35, finishing third overall and earning a place in the semi-finals.
Sunday’s Semi-Final:
In the semi-final on Sunday morning, Andover faced Wilton in a ten-end match:
- Rink 1: Sue Milton (skip), Cathy Hopwood, Steve Baker, and Mick Corden won 14-4.
- Rink 2: Gordon Bazley (skip), Les Reeves, David Hamilton, and Cynthia Hamilton narrowly lost 7-9.
The combined score resulted in a 21-13 victory for Andover, propelling them into the final.
The Final Match:
The final, held on Sunday afternoon, was an 18-end match against Fordingbridge 1:
- Rink 1: Sue Milton’s team faced a strong side and lost 14-21.
- Rink 2: Gordon Bazley’s team, after a delayed start due to a dead end, entered the last end with Andover leading by three shots overall. Despite Fordingbridge holding five shots, Cynthia Hamilton delivered a crucial draw to secure the shot, maintaining Andover’s lead.
The final rink score was 20-9, culminating in an overall 34-30 victory for Andover.
Image courtesy of Andover Bowling Club
Acknowledgements:
This victory marks Andover Bowling Club’s first John Ash Trophy win since 2006. The club acknowledges the significant contributions of all team members, including Jackie Kingston, Lesley Taylor, and Brian Minall, who played pivotal roles in Saturday’s matches but were unavailable for the finals on Sunday. Their efforts were instrumental in the club’s overall success.
The club extends its gratitude to the organisers and participating teams for a competitive and enjoyable tournament. Andover Bowling Club looks forward to building on this success in future competitions.
For more information about Andover Bowling Club and their upcoming events, visit their official website.